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Letter to the editor

Sarasota man charged with prescription fraud

By Times Staff Writer
Published October 28, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - A Sarasota man was arrested Friday evening and charged with drug trafficking and prescription fraud, according to authorities.

Shawn Horton, 38, was arrested on 14 counts of trafficking in hydrocodone and is being held at the Pinellas County Jail.

The arrest comes after an almost monthlong investigation by Pinellas detectives, who said Horton had been writing fake prescriptions for a year. His fraud stretched from Pinellas to six other Florida counties, according to reports.

Earlier this month, a pharmacist in Pinellas County became suspicious of a prescription that had been filled two days earlier. The pharmacist contacted the Sheriff's Office.

After interviewing the doctor whose name appeared on the prescription, detectives concluded that the prescription had been forged. They were able to establish a pattern of locations where the prescriptions were being filled and refilled.

Surveillance was conducted at several pharmacies in an attempt to identify a suspect.

At about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Horton arrived at the Walgreens located at 103 Indian Rocks Road in Belleair to pick up a prescription that had been linked to the investigation. Detectives arrested Horton, and said he later admitted to the crime.

They also found more than 100 forged prescriptions in his possession.

Horton, who works as a janitor, also may face charges in De Soto, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco and Sarasota counties.

[Last modified October 28, 2007, 00:03:13]